casual conversations at night
by Jessica L. Pearson
Summary: donna kicks harvey out of bed because it's his turn


**casual conversations at night ; g ; 776 words ;**

**donna kicks harvey out of bed because it's his turn**

* * *

The baby sneezes in his arms and it brings his attention to the tiny life nestled in his embrace, work no longer on the forefronts of his mind with 2am quickly approaching. Donna had kicked him out if bed nearly an hour ago at the sound of the baby's cries and he figured that if he was going to be awake then he'd utilize the opportunity to get some work done. The three month old is secured in his arms, head rested into the crook of his elbow with eyes suddenly opening at the noise in which escaped her. He sets his laptop onto the couch beside him to shift the baby, determined to calm her before she can even get started crying so she doesn't wake Donna up this time.

"Shhh," he soothes quietly, although still louder than the gentle hum of the ESPN recaps from the television, "it's okay, Lyn. Daddy's got you. You have to stay quiet so your mommy doesn't wake up cranky. She'll be mad at me and then I'll never get any sleep tonight."

"Telling her horrible things about me?" Donna asks warningly from the dark shadows of the hallway; he nearly jumps out of his skin at the sound of her voice but manages to keep his nerves under control for the sake of Evelyn despite his rapidly beating heart.

He offers her a teasing grin to keep the peace, "don't act like it isn't true."

"Tired of me already?" She asks, offering him a sleepy smile.

"Hardly," he answers with furrowed eyebrows. In the flickering light from the television, he sees that she's wearing a pair of flannel pajama pants and one of his old t-shirts that hardly ever gets worn. It always makes him smile a little bit to see them on her. "But could you leave this face?"

"Oh, please, you've been working," she mutters through a laugh.

Her fingers touch the back of his neck and push up into his hair, conveniently massaging his scalp and making his eyes drift closed. His heart beats quicker in his chest, the thump hard against his ribcage as he forgets the words that have been hanging on the tip of his tongue. He's pretty sure the movement is a ploy to make him tired enough to go back to bed, reasoning varies depending, and it's working. A sigh escapes his slightly parted lips making him peel his eyes open and quirk his eyebrow in her direction.

"I wish you wouldn't do that."

"Do what?" She asks, eyelashes fluttering a few too many times to be truly innocent.

He narrows his gaze at her, "you know what."

"Do I?"

"Don't you?"

A smile slides over her mouth and it prompts him to lean forward to press own lips against the corner of hers. He offers her a smile as she reaches over with her other hand and touches Evelyn's forehead, fingers warm on their daughter's cold skin. His lips part and he forgets all about the work he had just set down, his eyes focused on the very woman he's spent so long watching yet still can't look away from as she stares lovingly at the baby in his arms. He swallows and the sound of his saliva sliding down his throat bringing her out of her trance.

She offers him a smile, "coming back to bed?"

"Yeah," he finally says, breathlessly. He regains his breath and pulls his feet from the coffee table to push them against the floor so he could stand up. She stands first and stretches her arms out to take Evelyn from him. Begrudgingly, he shifts the baby into her arms. "I'll just take care of everything in here then."

"Good plan," she says with a wink.

She turns on her heel, bouncing the little girl with soft, red hair in her arms with such an ease that he's certain it wouldn't be more than a gentle lull. He absently clears his throat, remembering for nearly the millionth time just how happy he is. His name is finally on the door. He has a smokin' girlfriend and a really cute kid. He almost thinks he should have done this sooner. But then it wouldn't have felt right because they weren't yet ready for each other.

"Hey, honey," he says gently as he stands to s feet and closes his laptop. She stops in the opening of the hallways and looks at him over her shoulder. He offers her a sincere smile as her silent _what?_ spreads over her features. "I love you."

"I know," she replies, "now, hurry up cause I'm getting cold."

"Yes, ma'am."


End file.
